Release day: The Trader’s Dream

Today is the official release of The Trader’s Dreamby Anna Jacobs (book 3 in the Exotic Traders series) (Hodder & Stoughton/Hachette (UK and Australia), hardback, trade paperback and ebook). Here’s the blurb:

Bram Deagan is a successful trader, and dreams of having his Irish family join him in Australia. Maura Deagan has a dream too, to become housekeeper in the English country mansion where she works. But when an epidemic wipes out many of her family in Ireland, there’s only her left to care for the remaining youngsters, two nieces and nephew. And the only way she can do that is to take them to Bram in Australia.

Hugh Beaufort has abandoned everything to take his ailing daughter to a warmer climate. When a storm throws him and Maura together on board the ship, the attraction is immediate. She gradually realises she may be able to fulfill a different dream, one set aside years ago – to marry and have a family. Is love possible again for them both? It seems so until Hugh’s past threatens to jeopardize everything. Can they win through to happiness?

Anna dropped by today to tell us a little about this book:

I’ve been waiting ten years to write a story with this fascinating and romantic background: the opening of the Suez Canal in November 1869. Journey with our hero and heroine from England across the Mediterranean, into Egypt and down the new canal with the first flotilla, before travelling on to Sri Lanka and Australia. Life in the early days of steam ships makes a perfect setting for the overwhelming love that grows between Maura and Hugh. I had a wonderful time writing their story. In fact, this whole series has been a sheer pleasure to research and write, and has brought in a delightful deluge of reader emails. I’m just finishing Book 4 and a fifth book is lanned to end the series.

You can find out more about The Trader’s Dream and read the first chapter on Anna’s website. There are links there to buying the book online, but the trade paperback should also be in bookshops and big stores in Australia and New Zealand.

All ARRA members who leave a comment on this post will go in the draw to win a hardback, signed for someone in Australia, unsigned for anyone overseas. Giveaway closes on 30 October 2012. (The winner was Aimee)

Welcome to our blog. This is where we will keep you up to date on what is happening with ARRA - and each Sunday an author will drop by for a guest blog! Any authors who would like to be a guest blogger can check the schedule below